Powell lauds Musharraf's 'bold' stance

Published: Sunday, January 13, 2002

WASHINGTON (AP)  Pakistan's pledge to crack down on Islamic extremists suspected in last month's attack on India's parliament improves prospects for peacefully resolving tensions between the two South Asian nations, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Saturday.

Powell said Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, in his nationally televised speech Saturday, took "a bold and principled stand to set Pakistan squarely against terrorism and extremism" both inside and outside the country.

"In light of the speech and the strong actions that President Musharraf has taken so far and the new actions to which he has committed his country, the United States believes the basis exists for the resolution of tensions between India and Pakistan through diplomatic and peaceful means," Powell said in a statement issued Saturday afternoon.

President Bush's spokesman Ari Fleischer said Bush "welcomes President Musharaff's firm decision to stand against terrorism and extremism and his commitment to the principle that no person or organization will be allowed to indulge in terrorism as a means to further its cause.

"President Bush welcomes President Musharraf's condemnation of the attacks on the Indian parliament and the Srinigar legislature as terrorist acts and his calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice," Fleischer's statement said.

Powell, who is to visit India and Pakistan next week, said the United States "welcomes President Musharraf's explicit statements against terrorism and particularly notes his pledge that Pakistan will not tolerate terrorism under any pretext, including Kashmir."

Musharraf's offer to work with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to solve their differences through dialogue is encouraging, Powell said and added: "This speech reconfirms Pakistan's role as a front-line state in the war against global terrorism."